PECOS, Texas – Ryder Sanford called them a speed bump. When the 2024 regular season came to a close Sept. 30, they were agony.
After finishing the 2023 campaign as the Resistol Rookie of the Year and qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo, Sanford was on his way back to being one of the top 15 saddle bronc riders in the world standings. A broken saddle was one speed bump. An injured left shoulder was the other; it kept him out of action 10 days.
When the final audit to the earnings was complete, he sat 16th, a couple thousand bucks outside the field for ProRodeo’s grand finale.
“I’m really confident right now,” said Sanford, 26, of Sulphur, Louisiana. I had a few things happen that kept me from going there, but I’ve got those things taken care of, and, shoot, I’ve got all the confidence in the world.”
It showed during Thursday’s second performance of the West of the Pecos Rodeo. Sanford matched moves with Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Uptuck for 88 points, dancing across the Buck Jackson Arena dirt as if an orchestra were playing. That gave him the lead with two nights remaining at the “World’s First Rodeo.”
“I was looking up some videos of that horse earlier today, and I’ve seen him around a good bit,” Sanford said. “I’ve been wanting to get on him for a long time, and he definitely lived up to my expectations. That kind of horse is why we do this.”
Uptuck has twice been selected to perform at the NFR, an honor for bucking horses. Only 100 broncs are chosen, and that comes down to a decision by the 15 men who get to ride them in Las Vegas. The powerful bay with a blaze face and white stocking legs has proven to be home in this west Texas community. He led Tanner Butner to the Pecos title three years ago.
“When you draw a horse like that, you’re trying to get here as fast as you can,” Sanford said. “We drove 20 hours from Reno (Nevada) to get here.”
He is in the mix this season. He sits 20th in the world standings with just shy of $50,000. He needs to move up at least five spots by the time the 2025 campaign ends, but there are a lot of lucrative rodeos coming up quickly for the Louisiana cowboy.
“My year has been pretty steady,” said Sanford, who has five rodeo wins already this year. “I don’t have any big wins since the (Southeastern) Circuit Finals, but I’m just chipping away. This will definitely give me the momentum I need for the rest of the summer.”
West of the Pecos Rodeo
June 25-28
Bareback riding: 1. Bradlee Miller, 87.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Chrome Molly; 2. (tie) Darien Johnson and Garrett Shadbolt, 83; 4. Tilden Hooper, 81; 5. Sam Petersen, 80; 6Gavin French, 78; no other qualified rides.
Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Cyle Denison/Lane Mitchell, 6.6 seconds; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 6.8; 3. Manny Egusquiza Jr./Walt Woodard, 6.9; 4. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 7.4; 5. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 7.5; 6. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 7.6; 7. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 7.8; 8. Peyton Walters/Tyson Thompson, 8.3. Second round leaders: 1. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 6.1 seconds; 2. Zane Thompson/Chad Mathes, 6.4; 3. (tie) Jaxon Hill/Jessen James and Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili, 6.9; 5. Clay Tryan/Cutter Thomison, 7.0; 6. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 7.5; 7. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 7.6; 8. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 7.8. Average leaders: 1. Andrew Ward/Jake Long, 13.7 seconds on two runs; 2. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 14.4; 3. (tie) Brenten Hall/Kaden Profili and Jaxon Hill/Jessen James, 14.6; 5. Tyler Wade/Wesley Thorp, 15.0; 6. Clint Summers/Jade Corkill, 15.2; 7. Zane Thompson/Chad Mathes, 15.5; 8. Peyton Walters/Tyson Thompson, 17.1.
Steer roping: First round leaders: 1. David Witcher, 13.0 seconds; 2. Chad Mathis, 14.2; 3. Jess Tierney, 14.6; 4. Slick Ellis, 16.5; 5. (tie) Laramie Allen and Rocky Patterson, 17.4; 7. Brian Garr, 17.9; 8. Ryan Rochlitz, 18.4. Second round leaders: 1. Quay Howard, 11.2 seconds; 2. Dalton Walker, 11.4; 3. Jarett Holliday, 12.1; 4. Laramie Allen, 12.5; 5. John Clark, 12.8; 6. Rocky Patterson, 13.8; 7. Seth Schafer, 14.3; 8. Neal Wood, 14.6. Third round leaders: 1. Neal Wood, 11.2 seconds; 2. (tie) Jarrett Holliday and Taylor Santos, 11.6; 4. Seth Schafer, 12.4; 5. Jess Tierney, 12.8; 6. Scott Snedecor, 13.6; 7. Quay Howard, 13.7; 8. John Clark, 14.4. Average leaders: 1. Quay Howard, 43.7 seconds on three runs; 2. Laramie Allen, 44.9; 3. Seth Schafer, 46.0; 4. David Witcher, 47.4; 5. Scott Snedecor, 55.0; 6. Logan Currie, 56.9; 7. Brian Gar, 58.7; 8. Jarrett Holliday, 23.7 seconds on two runs.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ryder Sanford, 88 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Uptuck; 2. Brody Cress, 86.5; 3. Lefty Holman, 84; 4. Cash Wilson, 83; 5. (tie) Shorty Garrett and Jacobs Crawley, 82.5; 7. (tie) Darcy Radel and Statler Wright, 81.
Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Marty Yates, 8.8 seconds; 2. Tyson Durfey, 9.2; 3. Jett Barrett, 9.3; 4. Ike Fontenot, 9.4; 5. John Douch, 10.4; 6. Riley Istre, 10.6; 7. Jared Turner, 10.6; 8. Travis Staley, 11.0. Second round leaders: 1. Lane Livingston, 8.9 seconds, $3,929; 2. Bradley Bynum, 9.0, $3,416; 3. Sterling Smith, 9.7, $2,904; 4. Luke Coleman, 10.1; 5. Tyson Durfey, 10.2; 6. (tie) Riley Istre and Marty Yates, 10.6; 8. Ike Fontenot, 11.7. Average leaders: 1. (tie) Tyson Durfey and Marty Yates, 19.4 seconds on two head each; 3. Bradley Bynum, 20.7; 4. Ike Fontenot, 21.1; 5. Riley Istre, 21.2; 6. Jett Barrett, 21.5; 7. (tie) Lane Livingston and Cory Solomon, 23.3.
Breakaway roping: First round leaders: 1. Grace Felton, 3.4 seconds; 2. Samantha Fulton, 3.5; 3. (tie) Josey Murphy and Madalyn Richards, 3.7 each; 5. Cadee Williams, 3.8; 6. Lindsey Baker, 3.9; 7. Haiden Thompson, 4.0; 8. (tie) Lari Dee Guy and Ali Norcutt, 4.1; 10. (tie) Lauren Hopkins and Lucy Richards, 4.2. Second round leaders: 1. Taylor Raupe, 2.8 seconds; 2. Erin Johnson, 3.2; 3. (tie) Suzanne Williams and Stephanie Braman, 3.3; 5. Jayce Davison, 3.4; 6. Haiden Thompson, 3.6; 7. Bradi Good, 3.8; 8. Amber Crawford, 3.9; 9. (tie) Kayelen Helton, Lari Dee Guy, Cadee Williams and Bailey Currie, 4.0. Average leaders: 1. Haiden Thompson, 7.6 seconds on two runs; 2. (tie) Taylor Raupe and Cadee Williams, 7.8; 4. Lari Dee Guy, 8.1; 5. Stephanie Braman, 8.4; 6. Madalyn Richards, 8.5; 7. Erin Johnson, 9.9; 8. Bradi Good, 10.3; 9. Jayme Marcum, 11.98; Grace Felton, 16.4.
Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Riley Duvall, 4.5 seconds; 2. Sawyer Strand, 4.7; 3. Gavin Soileau, 5.1; 4. Rowdy Parrott, 5.2; 5. Sam Goings, 5.5; 6. Gus Franzen, 5.8. Second round leaders: 1. Rowdy Parrott, 4.0 seconds; 2. (tie) Kyle Irwin and Ethan Sparks, 4.6; 4. (tie) Cody Harmon and Wade Steffen, 4.9; 6. Seth Peterson, 5.3; 7. Tyler Waguespack, 5.7; 8. Gage Hesse, 5.8. Average leaders: 1. Rowdy Parrott, 9.2 seconds on two runs; 2. Riley Duvall, 11.3; 3. Gus Franzen, 11.7; 4. Gage Hesse, 11.8; 5. (tie) Seth Peterson and Tyler Scheevel, 12.2; 7. Kyle Irwin, 12.3; 8. Sam Goings, 15.6.
Barrel racing: 1. Ginger Billingsley, 17.26 seconds; 2. Alyssa MacDonald, 17.44; 3. Gracen Harman, 17.55; 4. Sharin Hall, 17.58; 5. Bristan McCarley, 17.59; 6. Helen Nowosad, 17.69; 7. Katie Halbert, 17.70; 8. Kassie Mowry, 17.71; 9. 9. Tara Carr, 17.74; 10. Emily Beisel, 17.77; 11. (tie) Millie Marquart and Dena Kirkpatrick, 17.79; 13. Margo Smith, 17.87; 14. (tie) Natalie Bland and Karsen Jackson, 17.96.
Bull riding: 1. Ky Hamilton, 85.5 points on Pete Carr Pro Rodeo’s Bootlegger; 2. Colten Fritzlan, 85; 3. Avery Mullins, 83; no other qualified rides.